


The Arcana Love Like Yours Fan Festival 2020 Tumblr Submissions

by WhiteFireWillow



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Exploration, F/M, Falling In Love, Love Confessions, Multi, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24633502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteFireWillow/pseuds/WhiteFireWillow
Summary: My submissions to the daily prompts for Love Like Yours Fest on Tumblr. Each submission contains sweet interactions between my apprentice oc, Asra, Muriel, and some other cast members from The Arcana.If you like what you read, and are interested in a written commission, feel free to reach out to me for inquiries, questions, or concerns through Ao3, Tumblr, or Deviantart. I have unlimited slots available!The Arcana belongs to Nix HydraMissing Prompt Submission: The Day to Day (Posted as headcanons on Tumblr)
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana), Apprentice/Asra/Muriel (The Arcana), Apprentice/Muriel (The Arcana)
Kudos: 5





	The Arcana Love Like Yours Fan Festival 2020 Tumblr Submissions

**Start of Something New**

Sworls of white magic faded into the grain of the magic shop’s door as it opened. The groaning of the old wood was a welcoming sound to Asra as he locked the door behind him and set his feather-adorned hat down on the glass counter.

“I’m home,” Asra called as he unraveled his scarf. As he did so, Faust raised her head and flicked her tongue at Asra. He stroked her head with a gentle finger and set the unraveled scarf beside his hat. His call was met with no response. Asra looked around the lantern-lit room and saw that the shop was recently cleaned and not a thing was misplaced, but his apprentice was nowhere to be seen.

“Hmm…” Asra moved towards the backroom and parted the curtain. He flinched in surprise finding the backroom completely void of the pillows and other curtains that bordered the reading table. Even the tablecloth was missing. Faust slithered across Asra’s shoulders and wound herself down his arm to inspect the bare table.

_Gone_ Faust said, turning to Asra. He quickly went to inspect the backdoor on the other side of the room with Faust and found that it was still locked.

“I don’t think anyone broke in,” Asra replied, seeing that all of the windows were still intact as well. But the missing pillows, curtains, and tablecloth had Asra stumped.

_Friend?_ Faust asked, her head tilting.

“She must be upstairs then,” Asra said as he and Faust left the backroom. “Siarrah?” He called closing the curtain behind him.

_“...The ship rocked from the force of the waves. The crew held on to the rigging as tightly as they could to avoid being thrown into the undulating sea…”_

Both Asra and Faust turned to the staircase upon registering an animated voice coming from upstairs. They looked to each other before Asra began to climb the stairs with Faust on his arm.

_“The rain battered against the deck creating a cacophony that outmatched the thunder of the oncoming storm. The captain called for her crew to remain strong as she confidently steered the ship onward…”_

As Asra stepped into the apartment, his violet eyes widened as he noticed the impressive fortress draped over the bed. It was constructed of various blankets, sheets, and curtains. They were stretched out over clothesline and woven cords that were tied to various hooks in the wall that Asra and Siarrah used to dry herbs. He recognized the tablecloth from the backroom was being utilized as a point of entry for the fort while the backroom curtains were being used in tandem as a canopy over the fort itself. The pillows were organized as stepping stones that led to the fort’s entrance and also created a path into the kitchen. Inside the fort was a glow which Asra presumed to be coming from a spell Siarrah had cast to light the inside of the cozy structure.

“They warned her that a massive wave was bearing down upon their vessel, but she held her ground at the helm and ordered her crew to brace themselves. They watched with their hearts pounding in their chests as the wave grew in height before them…”

_Friend!_ Faust cheered as she slid off of Asra’s arm and dropped onto a pillow. She slithered across the cushion path and slipped into the blanket fort while Asra watched in amusement.

“The wave towered over the masts of the ship as the crew braced themselves for the end. Magic gathered in the captain’s hands as the wave began to curl. Just as the water was about to crash down upon the ship, the captain--”

Asra had only taken a few steps upon the pillow pathway before a startled squeak interrupted the riveting narration. He paused and waited as he listened to the sounds of shuffling blankets inside the fort with a smile on his face.

“Faust?” Siarrah’s voice asked from within the fort’s fabric walls.

_Home!_ Faust replied.

The light behind the cloth walls moved and the tablecloth door quivered before Siarrah poked her head out from behind it. When she discovered Asra standing outside of her fortress her eyes shone like the sun upon the water’s surface as a beaming smile appeared on her face.

“You’re back!”

Asra took a second to absorb Siarrah’s appearance before he chuckled. Confused by his reaction, she gave him a quizzical expression before she felt something shift atop her head. The salamander that nested in their kitchen stove had taken residence in her somewhat static hair and looked rather comfortable. The little creature blinked at Asra as if it was also confused by the magician’s amusement.

“Those lines sound rather familiar. Were you reading that book I was pestering you about because you missed me?” Asra gave Siarrah a teasing look.

“Maybe,” she chided, feigning innocence despite the faint shade of red that was ghosting her cheeks.

“Do you usually make blanket forts on the bed when I’m gone?” Asra asked, his teasing smile growing.

“Well, no, but business was slow…” Siarrah began, her mirage of innocence beginning to dwindle. “And since the chores were done and I didn’t know when you were coming back, I started reading your book, and everything kind of...escalated,” Siarrah admitted, causing Asra to chuckle once again.

“And the stove salamander?” He pressed. A sly smile adorned his face as he looked at the creature sprawled on Siarrah’s head.

“He came to join me after I grabbed a snack from the kitchen and I thought he’d like to hear the story too.”

Asra blinked before laughing, his heart joyous and light in a way that was all too familiar to him. He gazed at Siarrah with warmth and all he wanted to do was hold her close and never let her go again for fear of losing her a second time.

“What?” Siarrah chuckled, giving him an incredulous smile. “Did I say something odd?”

“No,” Asra replied. “I just lo-” He cut himself off before he could finish his statement and a weight pressed against his chest. As badly as he wanted to say something Asra knew she didn’t remember, and trying to rouse the memories had harmed her before. But memories or not, Siarrah was standing in front of him in a blanket fort with a salamander on her head. She may not remember her life before the plague, and how much she meant to him, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t start over. For him, Asra knew it wouldn’t be hard to fall for her again. In fact, he already had. After all, Siarrah always had a part of his heart.

“Just what?”

“I’m just glad to be home,” Asra answered. “Now, may I join you three? I’d love to hear how the captain saves her crew.”

_Read!_ Faust called from inside. Siarrah smirked as she parted the tablecloth doorway. Asra bowed before entering the fort and laid on his side of the bed with Faust curled up on his pillow. Siarrah and the stove salamander joined them soon after. Reclaiming the book and gently setting the salamander down on the bed, Siarrah shifted into a comfortable position beside Asra and Faust.

“Would you like to read it aloud, or should I?” Siarrah asked, offering the book to him.

“I’d like to hear you read it. You make it far more interesting.” Asra said. His smile never faded as he listened to Siarrah read the remaining evening hours away. He hung onto her characterized voices and memorized her narrations to the best of his capability, relishing every minute spent hearing her and being beside her again.

**Caught Red-Hearted**

Morning dew made the air brisk as the sun rose over the horizon. Soft watercolored hues of pink, orange, violet, and yellow brought a subtle smile to Muriel’s face as he roused himself from sleep. Beside him, Inanna lifted her head to look at him and placed a paw on his arm in greeting. He returned her gesture with a brief scratching of her ears as he sat up and looked around the makeshift camp. Morga was not present, which didn’t surprise Muriel, but he blinked when he noticed the three empty spaces that had been occupied only a few hours ago when the moon was beginning its descent.

The horses were missing and Siarrah’s minimal belongings were abandoned beside the space she had bedded in. Muriel’s heart began to thrum a little faster as he stood to his full height, motivating Inanna to do the same. She merely huffed in impatience as Muriel looked around for any sign of Siarrah’s presence, panicked that the worst could have happened to her.

“Inanna, where did--?” He stopped himself when he noticed a new path that had been made in the grassy field that hadn’t been there last night. It was big enough for Muriel to guess that the horses had been the ones to make the path, and upon further inspection, he found soft bare footprints imprinted into the moist earth along with hoofprints.

“You knew?” Muriel asked, turning to the wolf who sat close by the trail of footprints. A subdued and somewhat dismissive sneeze from Inanna answered Muriel’s simple question. The action had tickled Inanna’s ears, and she quickly shook her head to be rid of the mild discomfort. He grunted in response and began to trek up the hill beside the path the horses and Siarrah had left. When he glanced behind him he was pleased to see that Inanna was following him. She bounded up the hill and sat at the top to wait for him.

His pant legs absorbed the morning dew allowing pieces of grass and bits of dirt to cling to his legs as he walked, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. Once he reached the hill’s peak, he spotted Siarrah and their horses at the base of the hill he stood upon. His horse, the tall draft, was eye level with Siarrah, who sat on the bare back of her horse who was busy filling his belly with the lush grass that surrounded them. Muriel’s horse prodded Siarrah with her muzzle. Chuckling, Siarrah reciprocated the mare’s request for more attention and began braiding the horse’s forelock.

“You’re rather fortunate I was up here on Theon’s back or I wouldn’t have been able to do this.” She said as her fingers wove the coarse hair out of the mare’s eyes. Theon, Siarrah’s horse, looked up from eating and swiveled his ears towards Muriel and Inanna. Following the gelding’s gaze, Siarrah twisted around and smiled when she saw them. “Morning, Muriel,”

He trudged down the hill, leaving Inanna who remained on the hilltop, and approached his horse before responding with a confused expression on his face. “What are you doing?” He asked, looking between the mare, who nudged him as a greeting, Siarrah, the half-made braid in the mare’s forelock, and Theon who was eyeing Inanna.

“I thought I’d get up earlier than usual to spend some time with the horses,” Siarrah replied. “So we could get to know one another better.” She gestured, with Theon’s reins in hand, to the horse she sat upon and then to the mare with her free hand. “I’m not quite sure where I stand with Theon, but I think Isleen and I are getting along pretty well, right?” She turned to the mare and scritched her muzzle. Isleen nipped Siarrah’s fingers with her lips in response.

“...Why?” Muriel questioned, his confusion not resolving.

“Well,” Siarrah started. “I really love how you so easily connect with animals, and when I observed you with the horses these past few days, I thought I’d try spending some time with them too so I could get to know you better through the animals.” Muriel looked taken aback at how nonchalantly Siarrah’s statement had been, let alone it not making any sense to him. Why on earth would anyone want to get to know him better? He didn’t want to be known, he wanted to be forgotten. But since embarking on this journey to find Lucio with Siarrah, he was wondering if he could make another exception. Isleen nudged him again, pulling Muriel out of his stupor, and he patted the mare with a small smile on his face.

“You two really do get along well,” Siarrah said, smiling as she observed their interaction. A blush crept onto Muriel’s cheeks.

“You and Theon seem fine too,” Muriel muttered, his face flushing more deeply as Siarrah beamed at him.

“I’m happy to hear that. Hopefully, we can hrrk-!” Before she could finish her statement, Siarrah was tugged forward and rolled off of Theon’s head landing on her back in front of the confused gelding. Maybe she had been sitting too far up on Theon’s withers; she wasn’t quite certain where she had been at fault, but Siarrah blinked her eyes up at the gelding’s nose sniffing her to see if she was okay.

“Are you alright?!” Muriel’s heart had experienced the same force that Siarrah had as he rushed to her side (which was only about three steps for him) to see if she was unharmed. She laid in the soggy grass in a daze and shivered when the cold began to seep through her clothes. Theon, with his mouth full of grass, and having a guilty conscience, finished chewing before plastering a layer of green goo across Siarrah’s forehead with his tongue.

“Blegch...Theon,” Siarrah protested, wiping the slime off of her face with her sleeve. She paused as she fully realized her position with Muriel standing over her, Theon already mowing down more grass behind her, and the sky brightening with the rising sun. Despite her shaking from the shock of what had happened, and the damp cold of her clothes, a smile appeared on her face which evolved into laughter.

It took a second for Muriel to register that Siarrah was laughing, and he couldn’t tell if she was just having a reaction to what had happened or if her guffawing was genuine. He stared at her incredulously as she began to recover. She sat up, wincing a little as she did so, and accepted the hand that he offered for her. Muriel helped Siarrah to her feet making sure to not move too fast or pull too hard on her much smaller frame.

“Thank you, Muriel,” She seethed from the dull pain in her back but gave him a grateful nod and smile.

“You’re shaking,” Muriel observed as Siarrah’s hand continued to tremble in his. “You should sit back down.” There was worry laced within his words and he was ready to pick her up and bring her back to the campsite despite whatever Morga might say, but Siarrah shook her head.

“Muriel, I’m okay, I promise,” She assured him. “That scared me more than it did hurt.”

“You just fell off of a horse,” Muriel pointed out.

“Theon apologized,” Siarrah replied, patting the gelding. “Though it was kind of gross. Besides, I think I was sitting too high on his withers and I wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing when I should have been. Now I learned my lesson, and I’ll be sore for a while, but--” Siarrah was cut off by Muriel encasing her body in his arms. Her face flushed red as she found herself wrapped in Muriel’s warmth, a welcoming feeling against the cold of her damp clothes.

Muriel was panicking. Despite the reassurance Siarrah had given him, Muriel couldn’t convince himself that she was alright with her body still trembling. He didn’t know what to do to get it to stop, and a buried memory of a night under the docks with Asra on the anniversary of his parents’ disappearance gave him the idea to wrap Siarrah in his embrace to get her to stop shaking. It had worked for Asra when they were children, so wouldn’t it work for his apprentice? Only he hadn’t expected to actually do it but here he was hugging Siarrah and he was suddenly lost for what to do now. To his surprise, he could feel her arms shifting around his cloak as she began to return his embrace. His cheeks grew warm and they only seemed to get hotter as he noticed the red blush that adorned Siarrah’s face.

“You’re...weird,” Muriel managed to stammer. A muffled chuckle reached his ears from Siarrah.

“I hope you don’t mind that.” She said. He only responded to her with a low grunt that put a smile on Siarrah’s face.

“Are you two finished?” A firm voice demanded.

Eyes widening, Muriel and Siarrah separated and found themselves under the scrutinizing eyes of Morga from the hilltop. Inanna sat by her with a glint of amusement in her dark eyes.

“How long have you been standing there?” Muriel asked.

“Long enough to know you are wasting our daylight. Prepare your horses and let’s move on.” Morga ordered as she turned and disappeared down the other side of the hill.

“Guess it’s time to get going,” Siarrah sighed, reclaiming Theon’s reins. She turned to Muriel and saw that he was tossing Isleen’s reins over her head to lead her back up the hill. “Muriel?” He glanced in her direction hoping that the blush in his cheeks had faded enough to where she couldn’t see it. However, he was a bit astonished to see that Siarrah’s body had ceased its trembling. “Thank you,” She said with a smile as she led Theon back up the hill towards Inanna. His heart thrummed again and the fading heat returned to his face as he led Isleen back up the hill behind Siarrah.

“...You’re welcome.”

**Say It Like You Mean It**

The shop had been closed today, providing Asra and Siarrah some time to spend together. The idea had been suggested by Siarrah, who wanted to hear about Asra’s journey, and he accepted the idea of a day off of running the shop.

It was late afternoon in Vesuvia. Asra had run out to the market to pick up a few loaves of pumpkin bread to go with dinner while Siarrah stayed at the shop with Faust. At the moment, Siarrah was deconstructing the fort she had made a couple of days ago. A customer had stopped in yesterday to schedule a reading with Asra for tomorrow, so the borrowed curtains, pillows, and tablecloth needed to be returned to the backroom.

Faust laid coiled on Asra’s pillow, watching Siarrah fold the last few blankets that had been used as the fort’s walls. Everything from the backroom had already been returned and Faust had been observing the withdrawn look on Siarrah’s face since Asra had left. She didn’t know what was troubling her friend, but she didn’t want her to be sad anymore.

Siarrah laid the last folded blanket atop the stack she had made and sighed, gliding her hand over the soft fabric to smooth out any creases that had been made. She recalled the few evenings spent beneath the blanket canopy and smiled a little. Asra had been so happy and her heart always swelled when she saw him that way. Her smile faded though as she felt her soul bubbling up with emotion. Every time her thoughts drifted to Asra she would feel so light, yet there was this nagging feeling at the back of her mind that something was absent. Her lack of memories from three years ago was her first guess towards the absent feeling, but she never felt satisfied with that justification. It had to be something else but no matter how hard Siarrah tried to place it her head would start to pound and she had to dismiss it so she wouldn’t worry Asra. Movement out of the corner of her eye grabbed Siarrah’s attention and she turned to see Faust propping herself up on Asra’s pillow.

_Friend?_ Her body curved to express her questioning concern and her tongue flicked in Siarrah’s direction.

“I’m okay, Faust,” Siarrah said, giving the lavender snake an uncertain smile. She laid on Asra’s side of the bed and stroked Faust’s head with her fingers. “I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”

_Asra?_ Faust asked.

“I made it pretty obvious, huh?” She sighed, propping her head up against her curled fist, and slid her fingers down Faust’s back. “I can tell you about this, right?”

Faust flicked her tongue, giving Siarrah permission to continue even though the snake already had an inkling about what she was going to tell her.

“I…” Siarrah started, trying to search for the best way to explain herself. “I feel so happy when I’m with Asra and it hurts every time he leaves, especially since he never allows me to come with him. I know he has his reasons for leaving so often, but I wish he would take me with him or at least tell me where he’s going...I just miss him when he’s gone.”

Faust laid her tail across Siarrah’s free hand as a comforting gesture, which Siarrah appreciated as she continued. “I think I love him Faust, more than just as a teacher or a friend, and I don’t know what to do, especially when I feel like there’s something between us that I’m not seeing.”

Faust remained calm as she listened to Siarrah, and didn’t react to hearing the shop’s door open or the steps that had stopped in the middle of the stairway. She knew Asra had returned home a couple of minutes ago and had heard a majority of what Siarrah had said. His aura had been overflowing with joy upon hearing her confession, but now it was laced with apprehension and guilt.

“I feel so light and carefree with him,” Siarrah gushed. “But that doesn’t stop this nagging thought that there’s something I’m missing...maybe it’s my memories, but I’m not so sure that’s it.” Siarrah turned to Faust and laid her head atop her crossed arms so she was eye level with the lavender snake. “Is there something that Asra isn’t telling me? ...Do you think he shares my feelings for him?”

Faust gazed at her for a moment before slipping forward. She flicked her tongue on Siarrah’s nose and retreated back into her coiled position.

Siarrah blinked before a wide smile crossed her face. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter, does it? Whatever I think is missing, it’ll reveal itself with time, and if Asra feels the same way, well, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. I don’t think I’m ready to tell him yet that--”

“I’m back,” Asra called as he stepped into the room. He smirked when he saw Siarrah jump out of her skin. “Did I catch you two in the middle of something?” He asked, feigning innocence that he had overheard everything.

“Oh, no, we were just chatting. Did you get the bread?” Siarrah asked, hoping Asra hadn’t heard anything.

“I did, and they’re still warm. Selasi sends his regards.” Asra replied. “Shall we make dinner together?”

“Sounds good to me, I’ll wake the salamander,” Siarrah said as she rolled off of the bed and walked into the kitchen. Asra set the wrapped loaves on the table before striding over to the bed to retrieve Faust. She slithered up his arm and settled herself across his shoulders.

“She didn’t get a headache, did she?” He whispered.

_Friend love Asra!_ Faust cheered, bumping her head against his chin. He gave her a sad smile and glanced over at the kitchen.

“As overjoyed as I am to hear that, I don’t think she’s ready to hear everything yet.” Asra sighed, listening to Siarrah coaxing the salamander out of sleep as she gathered materials for the evening meal.

_Try?_ Faust inquired.

Asra shook his head. “Not yet, I don’t want to hurt her again…”

“Asra, could you grab this pot for me? I can’t reach it…” Siarrah huffed, causing Asra to chuckle.

“I’m coming,” Asra replied before turning back to Faust. “I’ll tell her when I know she’s ready to hear everything.”

**Fiery Kind of Love**

“Your performance was great Julian, I thought the show was wonderful.” Siarrah complimented, giving the tall doctor a smile.

“You truly enjoyed it?” Julian asked with a blush. “I’m touched to hear you say so,” His legs suddenly, and rather overdramatically, grew weak and he looked as though he were going to faint. But the grin on his face gave away his act, causing Siarrah to chuckle.

“That wig you were wearing looked like someone slapped a clump of seaweed on your head.” Portia teased, rolling her eyes at her brother’s poor attempt at fake fainting despite her amused smile. The look of mock offense on Julian’s face as he looked to his sister had Siarrah stifling her growing laughter.

“I’ll have you know, Pasha, that very wig is what sold my character’s story of life out on the sea, besides my flawless acting, of course.” He retorted, grinning at his own compliment. “Regardless, Siarrah enjoyed my performance, and that’s all that matters.”

Siarrah nodded her agreement as the three of them continued on their trek back to the magic shop. The crowded streets were beginning to thin out as the night hours approached Vesuvia. The fading sun of dusk bathed the buildings and cobblestone streets in warm light, but it was dimming as Siarrah, Portia, and Julian left the South End while discussing the evening they had spent together.

“I suppose you’re right, it was a lot of fun. I’m so glad you were able to come with me on such short notice, Siarrah. I couldn’t think of anyone better to spend the evening with.” Portia said, giving Siarrah a wink.

“Thank you for inviting me, I’m afraid I don’t remember the last time I went to see a performance at the theatre.” She replied.

“Well, there are certainly more where that came from. I believe I overheard the director at the Rowdy Raven say that he’ll be putting on another production next month, and he’s going all out on this one.” Julian said.

“Oh, I heard some of the palace staff talking about it!” Portia added. “They said it’s supposed to be based on that book by the unknown author. I may have to try to convince the Countess to join us, she’d love it.”

“That sounds like fun, maybe I’ll see if Asra and Muriel would like to go too,” Siarrah suggested. “I’m not certain if Muriel would be willing to go if there’s going to be a big audience, but I’ll extend the offer to him at the very least.”

“Oh, now I can’t wait for the show to come!” Portia cheered. “I’m sure you’ll try to get a part in the show, Ilya?”

“But of course, especially if everyone is planning on attending,” Julian smirked.

Portia and Siarrah exchanged amused looks, thinking about the antics that were sure to come from Julian’s performances, as the shop came into view.

“Well, here we are,” Julian announced, stopping at the shop’s doorstep.

Portia stopped beside her brother as Siarrah stepped up to the door and gripped the handle before turning back to the Devorak siblings.

“Thank you both for walking me home, and for the fun night, of course,” Siarrah said with a grateful smile. “I’ll be looking forward to attending the next show with you two.”

“It was our pleasure,” Julian replied with a deep bow. A playful slap from Portia on the back nearly sent him to his knees.

“Come on, we promised Mazelinka we’d be back before midnight,” Portia remarked, waving to Siarrah as the siblings turned to leave. “Bye Siarrah!”

“Until we meet again,” Julian added, following his sister as he rolled his shoulders to shake off the force of Portia’s sisterly affection.

“Tell Nadia and Mazelinka I said hello,” Siarrah called after them before entering the shop. She closed the door behind her and was startled by the sound of fervent shuffling emerging from the backroom.

Asra and Muriel looked to see Siarrah pinned against the door and their muscles relaxed after hours of tensity. Asra rushed to her while Muriel trailed close behind him. Asra embraced Siarrah before pulling back and looking at her with a worried gaze, his hands placed on her shoulders.

“Where have you been?” Asra questioned.

Muriel grunted behind him, wanting to know the same.

“Portia invited me out to see a play Julian was in. Is something wrong?” Siarrah asked, her head tilted a bit in confusion.

Asra looked stunned by the question and turned to Muriel, who nodded, before facing Siarrah again. “What’s wrong is that you’ve been missing for hours and we had no idea where you were. You didn’t say anything or leave a note, you were just gone,” The fear laced within Asra’s voice was starting to worry Siarrah.

“Asra, I’ve gone out during the evening before and everything was fine, I don’t understand why tonight is any different.”

“You don’t ever go out alone without at least leaving a note, and you were supposed to meet Muriel and me by the forest clearing hours ago!” Asra defended. “I was running late and ran into Muriel who was coming to find me in the city because you hadn’t shown up yet. You’re never late to anything so we started to worry and looked everywhere for you. We came back to the shop to discuss what we should do next when you finally came back. You scared us, Siarrah.” Hurt and sadness were ever-present in Asra’s violet eyes, and Siarrah mirrored his expression as she looked to Muriel.

“You both were looking for me all this time?” Siarrah asked.

He nodded.

“Wait, but I thought we were meeting together tomorrow for Asra’s welcome back celebration?”

After a second of silence, Muriel sighed. “I think I know what happened, you didn’t tell her, did you Asra?”

“Tell her what?” Asra asked before his eyes widened and a look of guilt replaced his hurt. “I forgot to tell you we decided to move up our night together…”

“Siarrah, Asra was gone longer than usual this time. You probably got used to not writing a note that you were going out because you don’t tell anyone when you’re at the shop alone,” Muriel added. “This was only a misunderstanding.”

Siarrah’s gaze dropped down to the floorboards as Muriel’s words sunk in.

“I’m sorry I worried you both…” Siarrah whispered.

A gentle hand lifted her chin and she looked up to see Asra giving her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I’m relieved that you weren’t alone though.” Asra’s hand moved to Siarrah’s cheek as he brought her in for a kiss that erased every ounce of worry and tension away. When they parted, they exchanged a warm smile and looked to Muriel who was a blushing mess. “It’s a good thing we have such a wonderful mediator with us,” Asra commented with a smirk.

“Who’s deserving of affection too,” Siarrah added, extending a hand to him.

His face, if possible, turned to a more intense shade of red as he inched himself close enough to where Asra and Siarrah could embrace him.

“Whatever…” He stammered, looking away as he wrapped his arms around the two magicians.

“Why don’t we go back to Muriel’s hut? I’m sure Faust and Inanna are waiting for us.” Asra suggested.

“I’d like that,” Siarrah said, looking up at Muriel with bright eyes.

“I’ll start a fire when we get back,” Muriel stated, giving a small smile to Siarrah when he saw her light up at the mention of his fireplace that had her favorite furs of his laid out before it.

“I’ve got cards in my bag, we could play a few rounds while we eat tonight,” Asra added with a sly smirk on his face.

Muriel and Siarrah knew what that meant as they gave each other an amused look at the idea of playing cards with Asra again.

“You’re on,” Siarrah challenged.

**Nothing Can Harm You**

Scuttling feet and hard carapaces squirmed and crawled along my skin as a tidal wave of beetles crashed down upon me. I brushed them off and when I opened my eyes I was surrounded by darkness. I could hear metal clinking from somewhere within the void, but no one else was there.

“Muriel?!” I called. “Asra? ...Julian?!” I scanned the room, trying to track the metallic sound that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Without a moment to react, chains that glowed with molten heat lashed out from the darkness and wrapped around my body, forcing me to my knees as a hellish light roared to a blaze before me.

“You failed,” An echoing voice laughed.

I looked up to see Lucio’s devilish form descending a black staircase that resembled the one in the palace ballroom. Phantoms flickered in the fires that bordered the stairs, and there was something about them all that drew a sense of familiarity, as well as intense terror, from me.

_“...save us...the plague...he killed us...help me...I don’t want to die…”_ Ghostly wails echoed around the room and a few of the voices sounded similar to my own. As Lucio drew closer I took notice of the flame he held in his metallic hand, and my heart raced. Those I knew and loved writhed in agony in the palm of Lucio’s hand until they burned away only to be replaced by someone else.

Morga, Khamgalai, Inanna, Nadia, Portia, Julian, Faust, and Asra…tears and desperation overwhelmed me as everyone burned away, reaching out to me in desperation for aid that I could not provide. Lucio observed with a gleam in his red eyes as he stepped off of the last stair. Muriel appeared in the flame and amidst the agony his eyes found mine. He reached out to me with tears falling from his eyes. His fear, his pain, I felt it as he called my name one last time before he turned to ash. The flame was crushed in Lucio’s hand as he knelt on one knee in front of me. He grinned as he tilted his clenched hand and we both watched as ashes streamed down to the floor like sand, forming a pile at my knees.

“Not everyone gets a second chance at life,” Lucio started, turning to meet my watery gaze. Something fwipped into his other hand and he held up one of Asra’s tarot cards for me to see: The Fool. Where he held the card between his grotesque fingers, the delicate material began to burn away.

A searing pain erupted at my feet and I doubled over in pain. Blinking through the ever-flowing tears I looked down to see my flesh burning away at the same rate as the tarot card.

“It’s such a shame that it was wasted…” Lucio lamented without an ounce of emotion.

The card continued to burn and I couldn’t bite back the cry of horrible pain that I was trying so hard to endure. With a wave of Lucio’s hand, the wailing phantoms were released from their fiery prisons and they all rushed towards me to consume whatever remained of me as the half-burnt card fluttered from Lucio’s fingers. The last thing I saw was the phantoms of the plague victims shrouding me in darkness.

* * *

Siarrah jolted in bed and curled in on herself. The room was dark, but she registered the small bedside table with an unlit candle sitting on its surface and the curtain that concealed the bed from the rest of Mazelinka’s house. She curled her fingers to get them to stop shaking and brought them to her chest where her heart pounded against her ribcage like a hammer to a stubborn nail.

“You’re awake…” A low, hushed voice sighed from above her.

Remembering that Muriel was behind her, she turned over in the somewhat cramped bed they shared and pressed herself as close to him as possible. He laid his arm over her and glided his hand across her back.

“I’m sorry if I woke you,” Siarrah whispered, her heart beginning to ease its racing.

“I’ve been up for a while,” Muriel confessed. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“...Were you thinking about tomorrow?” Siarrah asked.

He nodded. “I don’t think I was the only one. I’m sorry I didn’t wake you sooner.”

Siarrah searched for his hand in the dark and took it in her own once she located it as a gesture of comfort. “It’s okay, from what Asra has told me I don’t show I’m suffering from a nightmare until I wake up from it.”

“I won’t ask if you don’t want to talk about it, but is there something I can do?” Muriel inquired.

Siarrah sighed and rested her head against Muriel’s chest, listening to his heartbeat quicken. She smiled at the sound and nuzzled him as she shifted into a more comfortable position. Muriel’s content hum resonated in his chest as he relaxed as well, resting his head atop hers.

“You being here with me is enough.”

**Play It Again, Sam**

“Asra, shouldn’t we be heading back? We have to open the shop early tomorrow.”

“We’ll head back before the hour gets too late, but I’ve been waiting all week to show you what I found.”

A knowing smile crossed Siarrah’s face as she crossed her arms and raised a curious brow in Asra’s direction.

“Is this the ‘surprise’ I overheard you talking to Faust about? You’ve been more energetic than usual these past few days, so I had a feeling something was up.” Siarrah commented as a purple head poked out of Asra’s shirt collar.

_Love a surprise!_ Faust cheered as she positioned herself around Asra’s shoulders.

“Maybe,” Asra replied with a smirk. “I know you’re going to love it though, Siarrah. We’re almost there.” He continued to lead her deeper into the forest.

The evening sun’s light passed through the masses of leaves above them and warmed their skin. Around them, the forest’s inhabitants moved about to find their last meal for the day before returning to their nests and burrows for a night’s rest. Birds passed over Asra and Siarrah’s heads from above and tilted their heads this way and that as they observed the two magicians approach a cave mouth set into the cliffside. Asra paused outside the cave’s entrance and turned to Siarrah to see her reaction. He was rather amused by her look of perplexity mixed with the childlike curiosity and drive for exploration that he admired in her.

“A cave?” She quipped with interest as she looked to Asra for a form of confirmation to her question.

“It’s what’s inside the cave that I want to show you,” Asra said as he beckoned her to follow him.

_Explore!_ Faust said excitedly.

Asra lowered his arm to the cave’s cool floor, allowing Faust to slither off of him. “Alright, be safe Faust, you’ll know where to find us,” Asra called after her as she took off. “Shall we?”

Siarrah nodded and the two of them began to traverse the inner network of the cave. As they traveled further in, Siarrah created an orb of light in her hand so they could safely travel through the dark and rocky terrain. After a few minutes, Asra stopped at a fork in the path. Siarrah raised the light to try to see down the two tunnels, but nothing could be discerned from where they stood.

“Feeling adventurous?” Asra inquired, turning to Siarrah with an inquisitive glance.

“I suppose, why?”

“I’ve used this tunnel before,” Asra gestured to the path on the right. “But I haven’t tried this one yet.” He said, gesturing to the tunnel on the left. “Faust traveled through this one and she told me it’ll still lead us to our destination, but who knows what we’ll find on the way there.”

Siarrah scrutinized each tunnel for a moment before looking at Asra. The right tunnel was, for the most part, clear. The left tunnel looked the same with the exception that ivy vines hung over its entrance to where they would only have to duck or part them to avoid them. The light wasn’t strong enough to see where they started nor was she worried about it anyway. She shrugged and nodded to Asra.

“Left tunnel it is,” Siarrah said.

Asra smiled and led the way inside, ducking under the vines to avoid them. Siarrah chose to part them, enjoying the feel of the leaves against her skin as she entered the cave, but something snapped above her and she paused as a thick woven strand of the ivy fell through her hand. Something rumbled above her and to her dismay, the cavern’s ceiling where they had just been standing began to crumble. The rockfall was coming in their direction, and Siarrah and Asra dove further into their chosen tunnel. They covered their heads as the tunnel’s entrance was sealed behind them, and only when everything fell silent did Asra and Siarrah turn to see the damage done. Siarrah resummoned her light and the two magicians examined their predicament.

“Well, that’ll be the last time I pull too hard on a vine in a cave.” Siarrah chastised herself in a poor attempt to make light of the danger she had created.

“Are you alright?” Asra asked, looking her over for any scrapes or bruises.

“I’m fine, what about you?”

“I think we managed to go unscathed this time around,” Asra concluded with a smile.

“Do you think we can clear it out?” Siarrah questioned as she looked over the rubble again.

“I don’t want to risk unsettling the rock again,” Asra admitted. “Besides, I think we’ll have a better chance of getting out through the other tunnel.”

Siarrah nodded before her eyes widened with worry. “Do you think Faust is okay?”

Asra gently placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her panic. “I’m sure she’s fine. I would have felt something otherwise.”

Siarrah sighed with relief and gave Asra a grateful, but sheepish smile. “I’m...sorry for causing that cave in.”

“Siarrah, we didn’t know the ivy was holding up the rock. It’s not your fault. Now come on, I still have that surprise for you that will make you forget about the cave in.” Asra reassured as he led Siarrah through the tunnel.

She followed close behind him with her light in hand, and it wasn’t long before they emerged into an open space that was lit by the setting sun. Siarrah gasped as she took in the beauty of the serene pond that was home to delicate little lotus blossoms and large lily pads. A waterfall flowed from an unseen river in the back of the cavern opening into the pool. In the pond’s center floated a stunning lotus that had its petals closed.

“Oh, Asra…” Siarrah’s heart swelled as she took in the sight.

“I knew you’d like it.”

“Like it? It’s beautiful, I love it.”

“This isn’t even the best part,” Asra commented.

“There’s more?” Siarrah asked.

Asra laughed. “We just need to wait for it to get dark, which shouldn’t be too long now.” The last of the sun’s rays were already beginning to fade out of the cavern and the darkness of night was beginning to settle in.

“What are we waiting for?” She pressed.

“You’ll see,” Asra replied as he guided her to sit beside him at the pond’s edge. The two magicians made small talk as they waited for the sun to set behind the horizon, and they didn’t have long to wait.

When the hour came, Asra warned Siarrah and gave her a bright smile. “Siarrah, concentrate on your magic.”

“What for?” She inquired, tilting her out of curiosity.

“Trust me,” Was Asra’s simple reply.

Nodding, Siarrah closed her eyes and steadied her breath, concentrating on the flow of her magic throughout her body. She could feel Asra’s aura beside her own, and the feel of her magic flowing in her body mirrored the sound of the waterfall on the opposite side of the cave. A gentle hand shook her shoulder and a delightful shiver ran up her back as she heard Asra whisper in her ear.

“Open your eyes.”

She did so, and another gasp of awe escaped her lips.

The cave had been transformed. Pink, blue, and violet hues painted and illuminated the cavern’s walls. Lizards, insects, plants, and fish glowed and danced in the sparkling water and swam along the rocky walls or through the pond. The lotus in the pond’s center had bloomed and magic flowed from it like a fountain. Mushrooms and crystals protruding from the rock were bright with an ethereal luminescence that all left Siarrah breathless and entranced with their gorgeousness. Beside her, even Asra looked awestruck as he took in the unbelievable sight before him.

“Siarrah, all of this is your magic.”

“I did this?” She turned to him in bewilderment. “How do you know that?”

“I can feel your magic flowing through this cave, and the cave is reacting to it,” Asra replied.

“You knew the cave could do this?”

“Not at first, but I discovered it with my own magic by accident. When I did I knew I had to show you, and see if the cave would react to your magic too, and I find that I’m just as surprised as you are.” His smile was just as captivating as the magic that swirled around them.

_Pretty!_ A familiar voice announced.

Siarrah and Asra looked down to see Faust curled up between them observing the colorful light fish that jumped out of the water.

“How long have you been there?” Asra laughed.

Faust flicked her tongue at him in response.

He stood and slipped off his shoes as he approached the water.

“What are you doing?” Siarrah asked.

He looked over his shoulder at her as he stood knee-deep in the water. He extended a hand to her with a warm smile on his face. “Would you care to join me for a swim?”

Siarrah’s eyes widened at the thought of swimming with Asra in a magic pond. She smiled as she stood, feet already bare, and followed him out into the water. The magic in the cave seemed to welcome her as she took Asra’s hand in hers. Their responsibilities to the magic shop and the cave in were long forgotten as they spent the evening together under the watchful eyes of Faust and the cave’s magic, holding on to one another as if nothing could ever separate them from this tender moment together.

**Freestyle!**

_To everyone,_

_I find this letter somewhat difficult to write, for what I want to convey is certainly hard to put into words. But my feelings are there, and hopefully, they will be present within the lines of this script. You have all shown me such love and care that I never knew was possible to receive. You welcomed me into your families, your homes, and ultimately your lives, and I’m eternally grateful for being a part of them. Know that I enjoy every minute spent with you all, no matter the trials or tribulations being faced. You’ve all also taught me so much, and I intend to take each lesson to heart._

_You’ve taught me that unconditional love, even if it’s not reciprocated, can transcend across the realms, time, and death. Magic is within and all around us, and it is something we can all share together._

_Strength derives from overcoming weaknesses, and finding aid from loved ones can bolster one’s strength to greater heights. Of course, it’s also alright to be spoiled every now and then._

_One can’t walk alone through a dark time, and though the burdens may be hard to bear, you don’t have to carry them alone. If friends and family are willing, allow them to help share the weight and guide you towards a brighter day. And never forget, who doesn’t like a dramatic performance every now and then?_

_Finding fun and adventure from even the smallest of things can enliven anyone. A free-spirited mindset motivated by dedication and devotion is capable of brightening any day, and there’s nothing that can dissuade them from doing so._

_Forgiveness is possible even when it seems it isn’t. Redemption is an open door for anyone, but only the strong-willed and determined will desire to seize the handle. If it is, joy and beauty can be found in setting things right and starting anew._

_Opening up is never easy, and you don’t have to do it right away. When you’re ready, you may discover things you can do and trials you can overcome that you never thought yourself capable of before. And when you require a quiet moment, it may be best spent with a furry, feathery, or scaly friend._

_Of course, these are only a handful of ways you’ve impacted me. I may not be able to see or recognize it, but I hope that I’ve impacted all of you in some way, and I can only hope it’s been for the better. For everything you all, and your families, have done for me, I cannot thank you enough._

_With all of my love,_

_Siarrah_

“Siarrah, are you ready? Everyone’s waiting outside, you don’t want to be late for the show do you?” Asra’s voice called from downstairs. The telltale creak of the first step alerted her that Asra was beginning to make the trek up the stairs.

Siarrah returned the quill to its inkwell and removed herself from the desk. Grabbing her bag from behind the chair she swung it over her shoulder and began to descend the stairs with an excited smile on her face. The letter she wrote in her journal was left behind to dry.

“I’m coming!”


End file.
